OCN Our Community News N
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Volunteers reporting on community issues in Monument, Palmer Lake, and the surrounding Tri-Lakes area
Issue #254 — Volume 22 Number 4 — Saturday, April 2, 2022
Local Events Readers should assume that event information published in this issue is subject to change and information should be confirmed a day or two before the event by calling the information number or checking the organization’s website. See pages 28-31 for event locations and other details of these and many other local events. • Wildland Fire Preparedness, Sat., Apr. 2, 9 am-12 pm • A Special Kind of Art, Mon.-Wed., Apr. 4-6, 9 am-7 pm • Opening Ceremony, Santa Fe Open Space, Thu., Apr. 7, 1 pm • Heart saver CPR first aid AED class, Sat., Apr. 9, 8 am-4 pm. • Palmer Lake Fire Dept. fundraiser pancake breakfast, Sun., Apr. 17, 8:30 am-12:30 pm • Tri-Lakes Chamber, After Hours Networking Event, Tue., Apr. 19, 5 pm–7 pm • Tri-Lakes Chamber, Education Series: Stress and Burnout, Tue., Apr. 19, , 11:30 am-1 pm • 100+ Women Who Care Meeting, Wed., Apr. 20, 5:30 pm • Palmer Lake Historical Society, Thu, Apr. 21, 7 pm, Palmer Lake Town Hall, The Bad Old Days of Colorado. • Friends of Fox Run Park, Earth Day Event, Fri., Apr. 22, 10 am • Black Forest Arts & Crafts Guild, Spring Show, Apr. 27-May 1 • Arbor Day Celebration, Fri., Apr. 29, 10 am • Great American Cleanup, Sat., Apr. 30, 9 am–noon • Our Community News mailing day, Thu., May 5, approx. 9 am–2 pm.
In this issue Monument News 1-6 Palmer Lake News 1, 6-7 Water & San District News 1, 7-12 School District 38 News 12-16 Fire District News 16-19 County News 19-20 NEPCO and WIA News 20-21 Weather 21-22 Letters 22 Columns 22-24 Snapshots 24-27 Notices and Calendar 28-31 OCN Information 23, 27, 31-32
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Monument lights changed to Ukraine colors
Above: The lights on Second Street were changed to yellow and blue, the colors of the Ukranian flag, in support of Ukraine as they fight off a Russian invasion. The change was requested by Trustee Mitch LaKind, whose family fled Belarus during the Russian pogroms that targeted Jewish populations. The Board of Trustees voted to approve LaKind’s request at its meeting on March 7. Photo courtesy of the Town of Monument.
Monument Board of Trustees, March 7
Town moves toward renewable water access; shows accord with Ukraine By Allison Robenstein The Monument Board of Trustees (BOT) approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the Loop project, a renewable water access partnership, on March 7. The board also agreed to a show of accord with Ukraine. Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Elliott attended virtually, and Trustee Laurie Clark was pronounced absent.
Loop project will add renewable water to town’s supply
The Loop water project is a partnership between the town’s Water Department, Donala Water and Sanitation District, Woodmoor Water and
Sanitation, and Cherokee Metropolitan District. The partners are working toward financing, building, and operating water lines that would interconnect the four entities in a loop. The MOU is a commitment to pursue possible future funding mechanisms including grants but doesn’t require any financial investment by the town now. During the Oct. 4, 2021, board meeting, Amy Lathen with Cherokee Metropolitan District and Jessie Shaffer with Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District gave an update on the Loop project by saying the board
NDS route decision looms near
the town’s baseball field. Finally, the board heard operational reports.
By Jennifer Kaylor At the March 17 Triview Metropolitan District regular board meeting, District Manager Jim McGrady provided preliminary route details of what may be the regional water delivery pipeline known as the Northern Delivery System (NDS). McGrady and the directors established a timeline for inhouse and public NDS communications. Triview staff, all board directors, and legal representatives attended the meeting either online or in person. The March 17 work session agenda and packet may be accessed via https://triviewmetro.com/wpcontent/uploads/2022/03/TriviewBoard-Packet-for-3.17.2022.pdf. Triview is a Title 32 special district in Monument that provides road, park, and open space maintenance, as well as water, stormwater, and wastewater services to Jackson Creek, Promontory Pointe, Sanctuary Pointe, and several commercial areas.
Bass told the board it was time to acknowledge the financial challenges the town faces in maintaining the current level of town services and bringing the town’s police and fire departments up to higher standards. He commended the town staff and went on to enumerate areas of concern, saying: “Everyone wants and expects the peace of mind that comes with excellent police and fire service….We all want reliable water and sanitation service, with dependable infrastructure, and we want good roadways and proper drainage….Our current financial condition does not and cannot ensure that we can continue as we have.” Relying on grant money is not sustainable, he said.
McGrady informed directors that the engineers who have been researching the NDS route options had essentially reached a consensus and were prepared to present their recommendations to the Triview board. The presentation would include a concise cost estimate—prepared by an engineer and cross-checked by a contractor—for a pump station site along Highway 83 and a pipeline route mainly along Roller Coaster Road. He emphasized the importance of determining a site for a pump station and pipeline route so that engineers could begin preliminary design and the district could start communicating with affected landowners and initiate the 1041 permit process with El Paso County.
MONUMENT (Cont. on 2)
Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, March 10
Mayor and chiefs have sobering message for town By James Howald and Jackie Burhans The Palmer Lake Board of Trustees (PLBOT) met once in March before Our Community News went to press. The second regularly scheduled meeting was postponed until March 31 due to a lack of quorum and will be covered in the May edition. Mayor Bill Bass opened the March 10 meeting with a message of concern about the town’s finances. Chief of Police Jason Vanderpool and Fire Chief Christopher McCarthy underlined Bass’s assessment with details about a recent call responded to by both police and fire department personnel. The board approved a request to replace a name on the liquor license of a local business. Two members were appointed to the Parks Commission. The board discussed erosion at the pedestrian bridge site at the lake and a proposal to irrigate
Triview Metro District, March 17
Mayor predicts revenue shortfall
PALMER LAKE (Cont. on 6)
Water pipeline route proposed
TRIVIEW (Cont. on 7)